Journal article
A neuropsychological investigation of decisional certainty
Neuropsychologia, Vol.70, pp.206-213
04/2015
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.02.036
PMCID: PMC4784716
PMID: 25725416
Abstract
The certainty that one feels following a decision increases decision-making efficiency, but can also result in decreased decision accuracy. In the current study, a neuropsychological approach was used to examine the impact of damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) on core psychological processes promoting decision certainty: selective exposure, overconfidence, and decisiveness. Given previous research demonstrating that vmPFC damage disrupts the generation of negative emotional (somatic) states that have been associated with selective exposure and overconfidence, it was hypothesized that damage to the vmPFC would disrupt engagement in selective exposure, decrease overconfidence, and increase indecision. Individuals with vmPFC damage exhibited increased indecision, but contrary to our hypothesis, engaged in similar levels of selective exposure and overconfidence as the comparison groups. These results indicate that indecision may be an important psychological mechanism involved in decision-making impairments associated with vmPFC injury. The results also suggest that the vmPFC may not be critical for selective exposure or overconfidence, which provides support for a recent “desirability” account of selective exposure.
•Individuals with vmPFC damage exhibit increased post-decisional indecisiveness.•Individuals with vmPFC damage exhibit intact selective exposure and overconfidence.•Indecision may be one source of decision-making impairments following vmPFC injury.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A neuropsychological investigation of decisional certainty
- Creators
- Aaron M Scherer - Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USABradley C Taber-Thomas - Department of Psychology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, USADaniel Tranel - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Neuropsychologia, Vol.70, pp.206-213
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.02.036
- PMID
- 25725416
- PMCID
- PMC4784716
- NLM abbreviation
- Neuropsychologia
- ISSN
- 0028-3932
- eISSN
- 1873-3514
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- name: McDonnell Foundation Collaborative Action Award, award: 220020387; DOI: 10.13039/100000065, name: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/2015
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984002477302771
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